Zion Lutheran Church, a regional congregation with nearly 8000 members, is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the WordAlone Network.

Swedes & Sudanese
Founded by Swedish immigrants in 1870, Zion is now home to Sudanese immigrants looking for a faith community in which to gather for worship, education and fellowship. Mawien Ariik has been the spiritual leader for Zion’s Sudanese community since 2001. On August 27, 2005, Mawien became the first Sudanese refugee ordained in the United States. Rev. Ariik now serves as a Mission Developer Pastor working with Sudanese at Zion and in the tri-state area.

Over the last few years, the small river town of Anoka has seen its rural identity change significantly as suburban communities grew up around it. Today Zion’s membership reflects this regional identity as we see an increasing number of families with young children and recently retired couples moving into the area and choosing to make Zion their church home.

Zion Pastoral Staff

• Rev. Norman Berg has served as Zion's Visitation Pastor since 1998
• Rev. Connie Tiede has served as Children and Family Pastor since September 2003
• Rev. Mark Tiede has served as Church Life Pastor since September 2003

Lift High the Cross
In 2000, the congregation completed a major building expansion and remodeling project that doubled the size of the existing space and included a chapel/columbarium for the inurnment of ashes and a book store/library.

The dominate exterior feature of the new addition is a bell tower housing Zion’s original bell, which was cast in 1883 and dedicated by the congregation in honor of the 400th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther. In 1954, when the congregation moved from its original Fourth Avenue North location to its current site on Fourth Avenue South, the bell was left behind. Eventually it was given away and forgotten. Through amazing circumstances, forty-six years later the bell was rediscovered, repurchased and mounted in Zion’s new bell tower. Today the story of Zion’s bell is told in words and pictures on a wall in Zion’s upper commons.

On October 7, 2006, a 21-foot stainless steel cross designed by renown liturgical artist David Hetland was lifted high atop Zion’s bell tower as a witness to our faith in Jesus Christ and an invitation to others to come and worship Him.